Oil of Vitriol
by Gabriel-San
Summary: Ori and Mel run into trouble: Four anti-society pets determined to make their lives hell just because they love society. Part two: Hesitation, confrontation, revelation...
1. Acid burns

A sequel. I finally got off my ass and started this. I hope it turns out as good as "Come what may." Slight bashing on a few things, but think of it more as satirical than scathing. More yummy femslashyness between Ori and Mel.

Disclaimer: Ori, Cheke, Aqua, Sky, Mel, Nitro, Absinthe, Vitriol and Lethe all belong to me. So do some of the other characters used in here. You'll know the ones. My character (Gabriel) also belongs to me. However, the species, places and whatnot belong to Neopets.com. I am making no money off of this, so please don't sue. I am making no copyright claims and am using all these things for the purposes of entertainment.

Like this, love this, or just want to say it's interesting? Tell me so at DeMachina@cs.com Flamers: Don't bother. MSTers: I don't think so. Regular R&R: By all means.

**Oil of Vitriol**

By: Gabriel

Part one: Acid burns.

"Daddy! Daddy! You're home!" Aqua bounced happily over to her father, arms wide open and a big smile on her face. She grabbed tightly onto his body and hugged him as tightly as her small frame would allow.

"It's good to see you too, Aqua honey..." Gabriel said, smiling down at his daughter. Gabriel was a tall man, about six feet even or so. He was also an anthropomorphic gray wolf, just one of the many non-human NeoPets owners. He was dressed like he had just come from a Humphrey Bogart dress-alike competition, resembling one of those old timey detectives from the black and white movies. Film Noir stuff. "So, where are your sisters?"

"Ori's in her room talking to Melissa again. Sky left with a video camera and a sweatband but didn't say where she was going. Cheke is in her room reading her latest issue of "The Lupe House". I swear daddy, why do you let her read that thing? It's just a bunch of half-naked Lupe males posing on furniture."

Gabriel laughed softly. "Don't be so hard on Cheke. She's just got her own thing going. Like you." He grinned at Aqua a little, hazel eyes flashing, letting her know he knew something.

"Well... We all have our quirks..." She clenched her fists tighter, hiding a piece of drawing paper... "Did you bring us anything?" Aqua asked, changing the subject.

"As a matter of fact, I did..." Gabriel reached inside his trench coat and dug around in one of the many pockets. From it he drew out a small magazine. "Neopia's unsolved mysteries." "There's a nice article in there about the Shadow Usul."

Aqua blushed deeply and accepted the magazine with a mumbled thanks.

"DADDY!" Ori practically squealed when she saw her father and ran right up to him, grabbing him tight around the waist.

"Ooof! Hello there dear." He reached into his coat again and pulled out a photograph. "This is for you."

"What..?" Ori asked, looking down at the photo. It was a picture of Princess Fernypoo and Capara in a tender embrace. They had both signed it and included notes. Capara's said, "Treat your little desert flower right, hear?" and Ferny's said "Enjoy a life of ease and passion. Believe me, it's easy." Ori looked up at her father in disbelief. "How..?"

"I was playing Cheat most of the day. We got to talking between rounds. They're really very nice once you get to know them."

"Oh daddy, thank you." Ori said, hugging her father lightly.

"It's what I'm here for. Better go give Cheke her present..." Gabriel walked towards Cheke's room and knocked on the door.

"Just a minute!" Cheke called from within. A lot of shuffling and rustling was heard before she opened the door a little. "Hello there Daddy. Good to see you. When did you get in?"

"Don't worry, I'm not coming in. I know you've got your new Lupe House in there, but I thought you might also like this." From inside the large coat he produced a glossy magazine.

""Immodest Fellows", the special Lupe edition! Oooh, this is good stuff... Oops."

"Don't sweat it. As long as you're focused on this I know you're not on something bad." Gabriel smiled and patted his daughter on the head. "Do you have any idea where your sister was off to with a sweatband and a video camera?"

"My guess is she went to go hide it in the men's locker room down at the gym. Again. You really should stop her."

"That is rather worrisome. After all, she might get caught..."

"I'm home! Daddy!" Sky burst into the door and then made a mad dash for her father as soon as she saw him talking to Cheke.

"Sweetie!" Gabriel embraced his last daughter, noting that she still had her sweatband on. "Down at the gym again?"

"No!" Then she noticed the sweatband. "Yes. But I didn't touch anyone! Thing! Anything!"

"Did you put a camera in the men's locker room?"

"No. I just went down to record some Wockys exercising."

"Really? Then where's the camera?"

"Being repaired. I got all trembly and it fell..." Sky blushed a little.

"Well, here's something to perk you up." Gabriel reached into his coat again and handed Sky a magazine. He's big on reading material for his children.

""Bodybuilder Weekly." With a cover story on Moehogs! Would you look at the deltoids and laterals on THAT guy..." Sky started wandering to her room, seemingly on the verge of drooling.

"So, what's the agenda for today?" Gabriel asked, taking a seat on the couch, very glad for the chance to relax.

"Mel's gonna come over for a bit then we're going shopping for six month anniversary gifts." Ori said, getting a dreamy look on her face.

"Six months... Sis, you're really something. I'm lucky if I get a week." Cheke noted.

"You're lucky if you get dinner." Aqua chuckled, grinning widely at her sister.

"Not funny! That was one time. I didn't ask him to jam his tongue down my throat. He won't do that again." Cheke grinned maliciously. "If he ever thinks of ANYTHING sexual again I'll be very surprised." She made a little kicking motion just to emphasize what she was implying.

"Anything special planned, dear? I'd be happy to foot the bill for anything you might want to do..."

"That's ok, daddy. We're probably just going to go back to her place and have a little party. Nothing big. You can be huge, excessive and overly daddy-like when we hit one year." Ori giggled softly and checked herself in the mirror for the thousandth time.

"I'm going to hold you to that. When you two hit one year I get to throw a huge to-do. No matter what." Gabriel smiled a little, glad to be back with his children again.

"What was the game of choice today?" Cheke asked, slipping onto the couch beside Gabriel.

"Cheat. I did really well today. I even got Ori an autograph from Capara and Fernypoo."

"Ahhh, those two. You must be in utter, squealing ecstasy, sis."

"Well, not yet..." Ori winked at Cheke and giggled a little bit.

Cheke was about to comment further but at that moment the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Aqua, who was closest to the door, scooted over and opened it up.

"Guess who?" Mel smiled and waved into the house. "Hello everyone. Hello sweetheart." She moved to Ori and embraced her tightly. Their lips met is a warm, passionate kiss.

"Some girls have all the luck..." Aqua muttered, looking over the drawing paper she had been hiding. On it was a flattering sketch of the Shadow Usul, in a very approachable, almost tender, pose.

"Hello Mel. Good to see you." Gabriel said with a grin, while Mel and his daughter kissed in the middle of the living room.

"G-good to see you again, sir." Mel commented quietly, blushing deeply. She wasn't usually one to take the initiative like that, but it seemed a nice change of pace.

"Can I get you two anything before you go? Some snacks, water, a motel room?" Gabriel winked after that last comment and caused his daughter and her girlfriend to blush deeply.

"She doesn't need it. Trust me..." Aqua giggled, forgetting what she was feeling to get in a good jab at her sister.

"Aqua! The wall is solid stone!"

"One of you is very loud. I can't tell which one, but you are."

"Errrr..." Mel blushed a deep shade of red, answering the question for everyone.

"W-well... we must be off! Bye everyone! We'll see you later!" Ori practically dragged Mel out of the door. She waved to everyone during the hasty exit, leaving everyone with neutral looks.

"I always figured she was a screamer." Cheke commented flatly, getting a nod from her sister and her father.

*********

"Where shall we go? My father gave me an extra big allowance this week, probably because he knew I'd be shopping for you." Ori and Mel walked through Neopia Central arm-in-arm, looking over the shops that they had wandered past many times before. Somehow, though some lover's intuition they had ended up in the exact same outfit. Not surprising since they shared everything that didn't require special alteration because of differing tail or ear structure. They were both wearing blue jean shorts that were sliced right up to mid-thigh, scandalous to say the least. Both had been decorated with puff-paint and sparkles, which caused them to glitter when they walked. On their feet were white sandals, non-platform, because that would just be silly. They both wore the same t-shirt, a spaghetti-strap belly-exposer that read "Bad-a** chick from the Moulin Rouge." Clearly Gabriel had been bringing over his DVD collection for them.

"Well, I haven't got too much. I could get you some clothing or a gift certificate to your favorite bookstore. Are you sure we should be shopping together? Shouldn't we surprise each other?"

"I guess you're right. But I hate leaving your side." Ori turned her head and planted a kiss on Mel's cheek, causing the Aisha to blush deeply.

"At least try to be a little secretive..."

"Alright I won't tell you all about the huge party dad has planned for our one year. He's promised to go all out, no holds barred."

"I'm not surprised. You were his first."

"I know. Cheke may be older but I was the first one there. He's also spoiling me because of you."

"Me?"

"Yea! You're my first girlfriend. My heart's desire, the light of my life. So he's trying to keep you here. Over-protective father stuff."

"That makes sense. I guess it's just... Aaaa!" Mel tried to say more but she abruptly tripped and landed on the ground, lying on her side for a moment.

"Mel!" Ori went down to check on her, even while Mel was getting back up.

"Awww, what happened? Did the little elitist conformity drone fall? Don't worry, there will be others to take your place." The sneering, unconcerned commentary was somehow chilling in it's lack of concern. The reason for that was that there was a foot in the way of Mel's travel, which would explain the drip. That foot was covered by a brown Doc Marten, a matching one on the other foot. The owner of the feet and boots turned out to be a female Wocky, dressed up in dark olive greens and blacks, a green tee bearing the words "F*** the system" covered by a black and green cammo patterned jacket. Same pattern on the pants. She wore fingerless leather gloves, studded leather bracelets, two leather belts and a spiked leather choker. "Well?"

"Wh-who are you? And why did you do that?" Ori helped Mel back onto her feet and dusted her off.

"Who am I? Who am I? I am my own person, that's who I am. Isn't that right?" The Wocky gestured to three others standing near her.

"That's right! No one tells us who we are!" The first one to respond was a Grarl, a huge red one who seemed to favor basic black clothing ripped nearly to the point of destruction, with chains draped over him.

"It seems such a futile endeavor to tell them anything at all. It's hopeless, you know." The second was an emaciated male skunk kyrii, who did basic black to the extreme. A black suit, black dress shirt, black bow tie, black top hat.

"You are who you wish to be. And nothing can change that." The last was an anomaly to say the least. A female blue Acara who wore a pastel blue sun dress, and carried around a brown briefcase.

"But, for the freedom impaired, I do have a name. Diatribe. Vitriolic Diatribe. Call me Vitriol. And these are my associates, Nitro, Absinthe and Lethe." She pointed to each of her tag-alongs in turn. "As for why, well, it's fun to mess with the drones. You got a problem with that?"

"Yes. You can't just do that to people. It's not nice." Ori hugged Mel protectively.

"Nice? Nice? What do I care about nice? It's not in my "Things to do today" list. Or is it. Lethe?"

Lethe opened up her briefcase and extracted a daily planner. "You are correct, Vitriol. No mention of it."

"There, see? No need to be nice. Now, just run along. I'm getting bored."

"But you can't, it's just not..."

"Vitriol said to leave, I suggest you do it." Nitro lifted one huge fist. Like most Grarls he had tiny hands for his size. But given his size, he made a substantial threat with that gesture.

"At least apologize!"

"Apologize? Me? Never. The system never apologized to me or anyone else. Why should I say sorry to a couple of cogs in the machine? Get out of my face you worthless drones."

"Yes, take your bourgeois, capitalist selves and vacate. This is a place only for the free of mind and spirit, not for the ordered columns of the uneducated masses." Absinthe looked both determined and blase at the same time while he spoke, which said a lot about his overall attitude.

"Just go please, you're upsetting Vitriol." Lethe spoke neither loudly nor insultingly, but rather, politely and even-temperedly. Curiouser and curiouser.

"Ori... Let's just go back to your place. The day is ruined." Mel tugged at Ori's arm and looked pleadingly at her.

Ori snarled at Vitriol, though failed to look very threatening thanks to all of her makeup. "Alright. But I'll see you again."

"Oooh, I'm shaking. Little clueless mall-brat. Slink back to your consumer palace."

Ori and Mel made their way out of the area, Ori trying to pull back and Mel just keeping her on the path home.

"A little enlightenment to their minds and some darkness to their hearts. The day is now complete." Absinthe said, his expression remaining chillingly blase.

"Get a life you frozen-faced freak. You're giving me the creeps. As usual." Lethe whispered to Absinthe, just out of earshot of Vitriol.

**

End part one...

**


	2. Diatribe of Idiots

Here you go, part two. Deeper and deeper into the mystery. And more and more rudeness from Vitriol.

Disclaimer: As before, I own what I own, which isn't much, but almost everything else belongs to NeoPets.com. Not me. Them. They own it all but some names.

Note: For all those who didn't "get" the joke-thing I put into the first chapter (And the entire story): "Oil of Vitriol" is one of the names for sulfuric acid. Hence the first chapter title. Also, Vitriol herself. Vitriolic Diatribe is a scary sounding, rather anarchist-sounding name, you must admit. But it's pretty much a parody of itself. The "Vitriolic" part is fine. That means "acidic" and works for her. But the "Diatribe" part doesn't work. It means "tirade" or "rant". A lot of sound and fury that is in the end equal parts hot air and BS (Which should tell you how I feel about anarchists in general)

**Oil of Vitriol**

By: Gabriel

Part two: Diatribe of Idiots

"She did WHAT?" Cheke fumed openly, clenching her paisley fists. Ori and Mel had been home barely an hour, and had made the mistake of spilling everything to Cheke, Aqua and Sky, who had been dragged away form her room when the others learned there had been trouble. Fortunately, Gabriel was off buying groceries for the week, otherwise there would have been a killing. And Gabriel would have been frozen.

"All because she didn't like the way we looked." Mel shook her head sadly and sipped at her strongberry tea.

"Sounds more likely that she was looking for someone weak to harass because she has a lot of pointless rage at amorphous concepts and ideas and you two were likely targets." Sky, having sufficiently recovered from her earlier state of excitement, was her old self again.

"I don't understand, what could someone have against our society? From what I can tell it is the finest in the land." Aqua hugged her Angelpuss, Uriel, tightly to her, not minding that he got fur over her dress. Because it was finally one in Angelpuss White.

"She's a faultfinder. What's worse, she's a chaotic one. Doesn't matter how small or unsubstantiated. If there's a flaw, she sees it and whines about it unendingly. Rather than make change she makes noise and hopes someone will listen. Just an attention seeker who wants you to think she's deep." Cheke spat after her speech, narrowly missing her Floud, Kafziel.

"Can we just forget about this? It's hard enough that it happened. But to drag it out..." Mel started.

"We can't just forget about it. She hurt you. No matter how minor, or how stupid the reason or the person, I can't let anyone hurt you." Ori snuggled Mel warmly, giving her cheek a kiss.

"I think it's time we all talked to these little idiots. I've got a few choice words for them, most of which would land me in the freezing area for quite some time." Cheke cracked her knuckles and adjusted her ascot.

"Now now, my sisters, let us allow cooler heads to prevail." Sky said mildly. "Violence won't solve anything. Besides, from what you say, this Nitro is a rather... large individual. And not in a good way." Not even Mel could help but snicker at that statement. "Which means force would be rather counterproductive."

"Sky is quite right. Let's be diplomatic about this. Get some negotiations started." Aqua said, releasing Uriel to flap his way back to her room. "But if things go sour let's declare war and strike them hard."

"Alright... Let's go back out there. Don't worry, Mel. They won't get ya with me around." Cheke smiled at Mel and swung her fist out hard, then brought her other one up in a swift uppercut.

"It's ok, Mel. Trust me." Ori held Mel tightly to her as she rose from the couch. Mel rose up with her, holding tightly to her girlfriend.

With great determination the LaVedier girls set out for Neopia central, Cheke leading them with Aqua and Sky behind her. Ori and Mel brought up the rear, Ori whispering softly into one of Mel's long ears. People parted before them, clearing a path to an already clear area. Vitriol and her group were still there, laughing at people who walked fearfully past and insulting everything about them from their clothing to their looks. Except for Lethe. Lethe took no part in anything, except to nod and say something agreeable when Vitriol asked her a question. When anyone else asked something she remained quiet, seeming willing to speak only to Vitriol.

"Hey! Which of you jerks is Vitriol?" Cheke called, though from Ori and Mel's description she knew quite well who it was.

"That would be me. Just who would you be, your boot-licking society clone?" Vitriol replied, sneering at Cheke.

"Cheke LaVedier! Ori's sister."

"And I am Aqua."

"And I'm Sky. We're the LaVedier girls and I can tell you, you really screwed up."

"Oh really? Tell me, how exactly did I do that?"

"Because you hurt my sister's girlfriend. And that hurt her. Nobody hurts one of us and gets away with it." Cheke snarled, her usual fun-loving demeanor vanishing completely as she stared with hate at Vitriol.

"Oh boo-hoo. So I messed with a little mall-dwelling bitch. That's not so bad. I'm just expression my dislike of their type."

"I'm afraid you can't to that. You see, the law states that speaking is fine but contact is not." Sky maintained a level head, to contrast with Cheke's seething anger.

"Your laws maybe. But I really don't have any. Sorry."

"This is not going well. Why don't we try a different approach?" Aqua suggested, whispering to her sisters.

"I'm game. What do you have in mind?" Cheke asked, keeping a wary eye on Vitriol and company.

"Let's try and converse with the others individually. We might get a better bead on this person and figure out just what makes her so... unbalanced." Aqua looked over the three members of Vitriol's gang. Not a pleasant suggestion, but she made it anyway.

"Sure. I'll take Captain Steroid over there and find out just why he's doing the following." Cheke huffed, glancing over Nitro. Not exactly the best thing to do but better than nothing.

"I'd like to know a bit more about the one who doesn't seem to do anything but be a yes-woman. A very corporate fixture for such an anti-corporate group." Sky looked Lethe over curiously. A mystery wrapped in an enigma indeed...

"Guess I'm left with the lightless wonder. I hope he doesn't try to angst at me." Aqua looked disgustedly at Absinthe. An unsavory notion, associating with him. But for the sake of her dear sister, sacrifices have to be made. "Well then ladies, let us go..."

***

"So, you're Vitriol's hired goon, hmm? What's she paying you, tiny? Magic beans and golden eggs?" Cheke didn't feel like subtlety. She could do it. She just didn't think it would be very effective on Nitro.

"Sure, laugh at me all you want. You're nothing but a faceless cog in the machine of the oppressive society."

"I get it now. She's been feeding you all her lawless, anti-establishment tirades and making sure you go back for seconds and thirds."

"She had to tell me nothing. This is all I have ever known. I just didn't have any way to do anything about it until I met Vitriol. She gave me a way to express all these things and to be effective in getting the revenge on society that I want."

"You're functioning awfully well in a group for a man who hates groups."

"I hate the big organizations that force all the little people to be slaves and do things like obeying their every whim and paying taxes."

"The truth is emerging..." Cheke mused, seeing things much more clearly. "So... What? You want to destroy all of society?"

"Crush the oppressive establishment!"

"Right... And after that, when you all are partying, overdosing on drugs and killing each other, the people you've made miserable are supposed to do what exactly? Pick up the pieces and forget that they lived any other way besides unhappy and ruined?"

"That's not how things will be! We will free every one. And then they can start really living. Without laws to hold them back."

"Looting and shooting, right? Everybody watches out for number one." Cheke chuckled softly. "From Monarchy to tyranny to aristocracy to oligarchy to democracy to anarchy and back to monarchy." She recalled the passage from a book her father had given everyone. By some Italian guy. Called it "The Prince" or something. Very handy. "The strongest one will lead the rest. A king is the last thing you want, but it's a king you'll end up with."

"No! Our new world will be perfect because we will all lead ourselves. That's real freedom. You're just too much of a drone to see it. Like that Lethe girl. She just follows Vitriol and organizes stuff. She's too in-line to be here but Vitriol finds her useful. So I can't say anything. Little..." He grumbled and trailed off, shaking one huge fist.

"Dissention in the ranks. And one messed up mental state." Cheke muttered to herself, walking slowly away from the ranting, shouting Nitro.

***

"So... That's a rather interesting coloration for someone who doesn't belong to anyone. Did your old owner do that?" Aqua was totally lost about how to approach a conversation with the bohemian goth.

"I belong to myself. This look was given to me by the person who taught me that life is all darkness and sorrow, and that we have nothing to look forward to but pain and death."

"Oh you must be fun at parties. You couldn't possibly be this bad from being in the pound. I came from the pound and I turned out fine."

"That is because you were probably groomed to be some little princess. A prisoner of your golden cage and all your rules and pretensions. I was born and bred in darkness. My first companion was like this, and taught me the ways of the dark. I learned the truth. That society was run by dupes and fools who believed that the light was good. I was taught that I had to reject what they taught and make up whatever I wanted, without considering how it would affect the faceless drones. And then I was left on my own. Suddenly it was all so clear to me. He had been right. Everything was true. So I escaped from the pound and lived on my own as an artist, telling everyone who would listen about the truth of pain and shadow. But the only one who listened was Vitriol."

"How pathetic can you get? You get emotionally scarred by your owner, escape before a better one can help you and start tagging along with the first person who gives you the time of day."

"You'll see, one day you'll be faced with the truth of darkness. You'll turn away from light and embrace the sorrow that will flood you."

"I'll meet the dark one day..." Aqua said wistfully, eyes shining. "And I shall embrace it. And the light within will glow brighter."

"Another delusional drone. Go and drown yourself in the cottony fluff of your blissful ignorance and denial of what is true in the universe."

"I... really don't think so. I'm gonna go home after this, take a long bath, put on my favorite robe and read something. That's my reality."

"Your perception is rather skewed. Just like Nitro and Lethe. You fail to see that all the world is a lie and all experience is pain. Only Vitriol understands. But that Lethe girl is poisoning her. She knows nothing of darkness. She acts just like the people we are against. But Vitriol leans on her like a crutch. Someday she will have to walk on her own, and then the final obstacle will be removed."

"And let us all hope that day... never comes." Aqua said, walking away from Absinthe with a shiver of disgust and fear.

***

"You seem like a reasonable, level-headed sort. I like that. It makes discussion and negotiations much easier. I'm certain my sister will envy me because they had to deal with more... questionable persons." Sky talked comfortably with Lethe. She had a very together and stable air about her.

"I do apologize in advance for my companions. They're rather single-minded. I cannot blame them, however. They have all had traumas, and have scars that cannot heal. Their dedication is admirable, in that respect."

"Even Vitriol?" Sky questioned.

Lethe stiffened a little bit, either caught off guard or slightly angered by the question. "Vitriol has some... personality quirks that sometimes flare up. Fortunately I keep her on track and help her to organize her day to minimize the troubles."

"I see..." Sky looked thoughtful for a moment. "When did you join this motley little crew of bohemians, vagabonds and wayfarers?"

"I've been with Vitriol since before she met the others. In fact, I met her a while ago, when we were both homeless pets looking for a way to survive. We found each other to be mutually beneficial to each other. I got her organized and things took off."

"So... You believe in all of the things that Vitriol tells everyone?"

"I believe... I believe in Vitriol." Lethe paused for a moment. "Or whatever she chooses to call herself."

"I understand." Sky whispered, walking away from Lethe. She understood it all perfectly.

***

"Remind me to never again talk to anyone who looks like a walking wall." Cheke stated, rubbing her forehead. "According to the jolly red giant over there, Vitriol understands all of his ideas about the freedom of people and the lies of society. But he also says that Lethe is too in-line to be a part of them. But since Vitriol finds her useful he suffers her presence."

"According to the master of darkness, Vitriol understands HIM and his hatred of all people who believe in light and happiness, saying that he was taught that life is pain and misery. He has a problem with Lethe as well. He thinks that she is Vitriol's crutch, and was implying that if she is gone that everything will be perfect for them."

"Lethe was very forthcoming with her information. She has known Vitriol for a long while. They were both homeless pets who needed each other. So Lethe helped Vitriol get organized and more or less mobile and for that she has been rewarded with Vitriol's favor. But Lethe doesn't need her favor, her tirades or her new world. All Lethe needs is Vitriol."

"You mean she's..?" Mel looked over at Lethe, who was speaking softly to Vitriol. Her hands were hovering just inches from Vitriol's back, so ready to stroke and comfort her. Just waiting for the chance...

"She pines. And it seems she does so in vain. Well, I think it's time to confront the ringmaster of this circus. Aqua, will you please do the honors? You're so much better at this than any of us." Sky bowed a little and allowed Aqua to lead them to face Vitriol.

"Back for more? Or has talking with my companions convinced you to renounce your world?"

"You should be ashamed of yourself." Aqua stated loudly. "Leading on all of these people for your own gains. Telling them what they want to hear and letting them believe in nonsense just so you can feel big. Someday it'll all come crashing down around you and on that day everyone will breathe a sigh of relief, not because the world was ridden of a few nuts, but because we got rid of insensitive, completely thoughtless pets." Aqua ended with a flourish of her gloved hands and a sharp nod to Vitriol.

"Well, a very pretty speech. That means nothing. I do believe in all that I say. And all that they say. Before, I just believed in conspiracies against Neopians, perpetrated by shadowy individuals so that we would all obey. Then I found out there was so much more to it, and that there was a solution. Break down the societal machine and make a better one. And so I shall."

"This started so simply. A simple moment of inconsiderateness. Must it explode like this?" Mel asked, looking sadly at Vitriol.

"It must, drone. It's the only way to spread the word. We're coming to take the likes of you down." Vitriol spat at Mel, hitting her on the right leg of her shorts.

"Hey! No one does that to my sweetheart! Come here! I'll kill you for that!" Cheke and Aqua restrained Ori, who was trying to swing her fists. Her teeth were bared and she was snapping when she wasn't speaking, trying to look as fierce as she could.

"Ha! What a pathetic sight. I think I will take you up on that offer, just to humiliate you. In one month's time I will meet you in the Battledome. Best get ready. Because I plan to crush you, to prove that I have the strength I need." With that she turned up her nose and walked away, her group following.

Lethe was the last in line and she turned to look at the sisters before leaving. She sadly eyed Ori and Mel, who were hugging each other tightly. A tear formed at the corner of her eye. "She does, you know. She has all the strength she needs to do anything. Everything. Everything, except what I'd like her to do." With that, she ran off after the others.

"Be strong. No one can be a fool forever." Sky said quietly before turning to converse with her sisters.


End file.
